Friday, October 26, 2012

The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Bread Double Decker Review & Giveaway

Julie and I have decided to stack monthly cookbook reviews, so we'll be writing dual reviews on the xgfx-ness of a particular cookbook to bring you twice the information on the same day.

If you have no idea what I mean, just picture a double-stuffed sandwich cookie. Julie's review is on the top, and mine is on the bottom. The yummy creamy filling overstuffed in the center is what you get - in the form of two unique reviews and two giveaways on an identical book on the same day.

Julie showed me The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Bread a month or so ago, and after leafing through the book and making (and eating) the chocolate chip scones together, I knew I wanted to review it (you can read Julie's review of this book here). You know how you can sorta look through a cookbook and know right away if it'll sink or swim? I knew this book wouldn't let me down, and so far it hasn't.

New York-Style Bagels hit the spot. You can see and read more about them in this post. They lean and they lean, but they're sturdy enough to hold their own.

More than just offering recipes that satisfy, this book is also loaded with really helpful information on the preparation and storage of xgfx baked goods. If you're looking for your own xgfx dough teacher, this is the book to get. Laurie Sadowski gives very thorough directions with lots and lots of appealing recipes to learn from.

I feel as though I've already made boatloads from this book, but I'll be making more. So far my oven has pumped out: Apple-Chai Scones, Burger Buns (twice), New York-Style Bagels, Garlicky Pull-Apart Rolls, and then the Chocolate Chip Scones I baked with Julie-Bub.

Burger Buns. The going rate for commercial xgfx buns in Portland is about $7.00 a bag. These are better with light and fluffy insides and aren't too heavy to eat with a hearty patty. I had to throw the second batch in the freezer right away, because we were eating them hot out of the oven with olive oil smeared on top, and I wanted them for, y'know, burgers...

Here are some of my favorite things about The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Bread:

❤ A xgfx bread dream come true: scones in a myriad of flavors, pizza dough, monkey bread, cornbread, bread sticks, chocolate cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, etc. Honestly, I think I want to make every single thing in this book. Banana-Rhubarb Crumble Muffins? Please come home with me, and let me make you an honest woman.

❤ Each recipe tells you how much of each flour and starch you need. No
commercial mixes are called for anywhere in the book and Laurie doesn't
make readers mix up a flour/starch combo to use (and thus store)
for the cookbook.

❤ The recipes are very detailed--most even tell you how long to beat the dough, whether a quick or yeasted bread.

❤ I'm not a fan of the taste of quinoa flour, which is called for in some of
the recipes. However, Laurie gives easy directions on subbing it out with other flours. I used millet flour with great results.

If you bake from it a lot, some of the yeasted doughs have very
similar flavor profiles.

Many of the recipes are heavy in xantham gum. I don't mind using xantham these days, but I don't like to feel any residue from it in my mouth. If you're sensitive, you'll probably want to play with adjusting the amount in some recipes.

This book's no looker (and its title sure doesn't help) and there are no recipe pictures, although Laurie posts lots of pictures on her book's website.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian addresses. To win your own copy of this book,
simply post a comment by midnight Pacific time on Monday, October 29th
2012 (please make sure to leave some sort of way I can get in touch
with you), and I'll draw a random winner.

Garlicky Pull-Apart Rolls. We paired these for dinner with Indian, trying to channel a sort of Pav Bhaji experience.

Disclaimer: I requested and received a free review copy of The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Bread from Book Publishing Company. No
compensation or gift was exchanged for this review, and the opinion posted here is my own.

xo
kittee

This blog, has joined with over 600 others, to celebrate Vegan MoFo - The Vegan Month of Food. Learn more about MoFo by visiting Vegan Mofo Headquarters.

Looks like a great cookbook and I love your review format. Just commenting but don't enter me bc I am already buried in cookbooks; need to enter a cookbook 12-step program (Admitting my problem was the first step :)

Thanks for the review. I've been looking at this book for quite a while (seriously) it's on my Wish List and everything. I just couldn't make up my mind about it and, like you, Quinoa? Not so much. :-)

I am sooo glad. I just hate it when I make xgfx bread and it comes out awful, especially as I can't do bean flours or oats and they, along with quinoa seem to be in 90% of the recipes. So Know I won't have to fill up my shelves with one more useless book. Kudos to you and Julie.

what a great review Kittee - so many recipes, and also comments on the book at large. I love that the recipes don't call for a commercial xgfx mix, or have you make your own. I always feel like those recipes may or may not come out. I really prefer when each type / amount of flour is given specifically. Great pics!

Hi Kittee! I recently found your blog and really enjoy it! If I'm not mistaken I read somewhere that you too suffer from fibromyalgia. I was dignosed about two years ago when I was 16 and recently found out I have an pretty bad wheat intolerance. I have yet to give up gluten all together (I really love barely flour) but I am interested in how going gluten free has helped your fibro. I would love to hear about your experience if you have the time. Thanks! BeccaMFerguson@aim.com

Hi Chely,If you want my honest opinion, I would say you need both. The books are both very different with different techniques, but compliment each other very well. Jennifer's Katzinger's book offers artisan style loafs like you might find in a baker and sophisticated quick-breads, Laurie's book offers sandwich style loaves and more utilitarian recipes like bagels, rolls, cornbread, pita and scones.

Ok, so I already have this book and I LOVE it! Everything that I have made has been amazing! I am entering this giveaway to win it for a friend who is gluten free and vegan. She has been a little down lately and I'd like to win this for her to cheer her up! :-)

I am sooo intimidated by bread. Since diagnosis I've found easy ways to replace everything except bread. I've tried a couple loaves and they didn't turn out well at all, so I gave it up. Used to bake all the time before! Maybe I should give it a shot again. :)catherine.savage at gmail dot com

These are affiliate links to my cookbook, and to the griddle I use for making really amazing, large, homemade teff injera! If you're planning to order via Amazon, please consider purchasing through my blog (I'll earn a small commission on each sale).